Examining International News Flow: A Comparative Study of American and Chinese Newspaper Coverage of Beijing’s Air Pollution

• In Event: Environmental Journalism: Coverage, Reader Response, and Mediators

Abstract

This study compares newspaper coverage of Beijing's air pollution in China and the United States (2008-2013) to investigate international news flow. The study found that U.S. media covered the issue earlier, having more topics "politicizing" the pollution, more frames of negative complaints, more U.S. sources, and a noticeable number of Chinese NGO sources. By comparison, Chinese media reported pollution with more Chinese sources, more self-legitimizing frames in which topics regarding strategies and solutions of the pollution were emphasized; it also framed the issue with mild self-criticism, projecting the issue using an "international public relations" strategy. Additionally, results showed that the two media shared some common sources. It is also suggested that nationalistic praise or justification for China was more mild and strategic than originally expected, and western-media criticism or "anti-communism" was milder than it used to be. The results suggest a two-way flow of international news between the two countries.

Author

• Ran Duan, Michigan State University